With winter nearly upon us, we thought it the perfect time to compile Civil War scenes—in photos and sketches—that invoke the chilly temperatures and inclement weather that accompany the season. Bundle up … and enjoy.
Alfred R. Waud depicts Union forces braving the elements as they advance toward the Rappahannock River in 1863. (Library of Congress)
A Union sentinal stands in the snow at his post in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the winter of 1863–1864. (National Archives)
Pickets on duty at Fredericksburg gather around a small fire in an attempt to stay warm. (National Archives)
The men of the 2nd Maine Infantry—undeterred by a recent snowfall—pose for a photo outside their camp. (Library of Congress)
The U.S. Government Corral at Alexandria, Virgnia, is blanketed with snow in this wartime image. (National Archives)
Union soldiers construct winter quarters in preparation for the onset of cold weather in this undated wartime photo. (Library of Congress)
A Union sentry stands guard outside the ornate entrance to General Daniel Buttefield’s winter quarters in this sketch by Alfred R. Waud. (Library of Congress)
These sketches of the Union winter camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in January 1863 show (clockwise, from upper left) a wagoner’s shanty, a deserted picket hut, and huts of the 117th Pennsylvania Infantry. (Library of Congress)
Union troops mill about the Union lines during the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, in December 1864. (Library of Congress)
Confederate troops engage in a massive snowball fight at Dalton, Georgia, in March 1864 in this sketch by Alfred R. Waud. (Library of Congress)
